March 29, 2006

Princeton University claimed the top spot in this week’s USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA Division I Varsity Eight Coaches Poll, while Western Washington University and Trinity College topped the Division II and III polls, respectively.
In Division I, Princeton earned 18 of 24 first-place votes to take remain in the top position in the rankings. California, the defending NCAA champions, earned five first-place votes to garner the second spot in the poll. Virginia ranked third, followed by Yale and Brown. No. 8 Southern California earned the remaining first-place vote.

Western Washington earned all five first-place votes to remain atop the Division II poll. Barry University ranked second, while Nova Southeastern ranked third.

Trinity College received all eight first-place votes to remain in the No. 1 position in the Division III poll. Williams College ranked second, while Ithaca College ranked third. Smith College and Colby College tied for the No. 4 ranking this week.

Women’s NCAA Division I Varsity Eights

Team (1st-Place Votes) Points Previous Week

1. Princeton University (18), 474, 1

2. University of California at Berkeley (5), 460, 2

3. University of Virginia, 420, 3

4. Yale University, 394, 5

5. Brown University, 347, 6

6. Stanford University, 344, 15

7. The Ohio State University, 321, 4

8. University of Southern California (1), 268, 11

9. University of Wisconsin, 245, 8

10. University of Washington, 236, 10

11. Washington State University, 209, 9

12. University of Michigan, 204, 7

13. Michigan State University, 187, 13

14. University of Tennessee, 160, 12

15. University of California at Los Angeles, 154, 14

16. Oregon State University, 147, NR

17. Harvard University, 142, 17

18. University of Minnesota, 105, 19

19. Boston University, 78, 16

20. Columbia University, 53, 20

Not Ranked But Receiving Votes: Northeastern University 39, University of Notre Dame 24, University of Louisville 10, University of Texas 9, Duke University 5, University of Central Florida 3, University of Iowa 1, and University of San Diego 1.

Women’s NCAA Division II Varsity Eights

Team (1st-Place Votes) Points Previous Week

1. Western Washington University (5), 25, 1

2. Barry University, 20, 2

3. Nova Southeastern, 13, 3t

4. Mercyhurst College, 7, 3t

5. Dowling College, 6, NR

Not Ranked But Receiving Votes: Florida Institute of Technology 2, Seattle Pacific University, and University of California at San Diego 2.

Women’s NCAA Division III Varsity Eights

Team (1st-Place Votes) Points Previous Week

1. Trinity College (8), 160, 1

2. Williams College, 144, 2

3. Ithaca College, 139, 3

4t. Colby College, 130, 5

4t. Smith College, 130, 4

6. University of Puget Sound, 121, 8

7. Tufts University, 108, 7

8. William Smith College, 107, 6

9. Mt. Holyoke College, 89, 9

10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 86, 10

11. United States Coast Guard Academy, 85, 11

12. Lewis and Clark, 56, NR

13. Washington College, 35, 14

14. Wesleyan University, 30, 12

15t. Bates College, 26, 13

15t. Vassar College, 26, 15

Not Ranked But Receiving Votes: Marietta College 22, University of Mary Washington 17, Bryn Mawr College 16, Johns Hopkins University 13, Skidmore College 8, Connecticut College 6, and Mills College 6.